J.K. Rowling

J.K. Rowling is an English author, born on 31 July 1965 in Yate, in the United Kingdom. She is best known for the Harry Potter series, seven novels about a boy who discovers he is a wizard and attends a school of magic. The first book appeared in 1997, and the series grew into one of the best-selling sets of books in history, translated into dozens of languages and adapted into a long-running film series. Her stories mix school-life comedy, mystery and adventure with darker themes of loss, prejudice, courage and the choices that define a person. Many readers first came to long novels through her work, and the books helped shape modern children's and young adult publishing. She has also written further books set in the same world, as well as novels for adults and crime fiction under a pen name. Her public statements on other subjects have drawn debate, but her place in popular literature is secure.